Donbas sides to create 50km buffer zone free from heavy arms – Poroshenko

An agreement to create a 50-kilometer buffer zone in Donbas free from heavy weapons has been reached at the Normandy format negotiations in Minsk, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"The ceasefire will be accompanied by the withdrawal of heavy armaments, heavy artillery systems with calibers larger than 100mm. It is agreed to pull the artillery back from the "Minsk line" held by the illegal armed units and the actual line held by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the distances of 25 kilometers. In all, the buffer zone will be 50 kilometers wide," Poroshenko told reporters in Minsk on Thursday after he had met with the leaders of France, Germany and Russia.